Rigatoni With Mussels And Peas In Tomato Sauce


We love seafood and pasta. Got my hands on a bunch of cheap frozen mussels the other day, so I decided to divide them into two. We creamed the first half  (previous post )and decided to have the second half with peas, basil and a spicy tomato sauce. Now you'll say where did I get fresh basis during this time of year...

Well I didn't. I harvested all the fresh basil I grew in my terrace during summer, made pesto with half, and froze the rest. Anytime I need fresh basil I break a piece of the frozen stuff and just throw it in my pan. No dried basil ever enters this house!!

Ingredients for 4:

  • 500 gr good Italian rigatoni boiled one minute under box indications.
  • 500 gr frozen mussels simply thowed in a bowl keeping the juice.
  • 250 gr frozen peas thawed.
  • 1/2 cup of frozen basil right out of the deep freeze.
  • 1 onion finely chopped.
  • 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped.
  • 2 T tomato concentrate.
  • 2 T olive oil.
  • 1 t cayenne or more to taste.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
Method:
  • Start by boiling the water for the pasta. 1 litre per 100 gr of pasta. Add salt when water boils.
  • In a wok or karahi or really big deep pan stir fry onion till soft and transparent. 
  • Add garlic and stir fry till that famous perfume hit your nose. 
  • Add the peas, cayenne and the basil,
  • Add the tomato concentrate and dissolve, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes till the peas are done.
  • In the meantime the rigatoni should be ready, add two to three ladles of the water they are boiling in to the sauce.
  • Drain the pasta and throw them in the sauce. 
  • Mix well with a big spoon and fork (that is why you need a big pan for space).
Serve hot with grated cheese if you wish.

Enjoy:
Stelio

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